Guide To Writing Your College Resume

Alexia Menendez, Writer
May 18, 2020

As the 2019/2020 school year comes to an end, juniors in the Class of 2021 need to begin the process of college applications. An important part of that process is putting together a College Resume.

“You complete your junior resume during the summer of your junior year,” said Class of 2021 guidance counselor Ms. Hoyos. “It is assigned by the Senior English teacher starting the beginning of junior year.”

When they have to write their resumes for college, most students get very stressed and freak out. In reality writing your college resume is putting together all your life achievements for colleges to see.

Your college resume needs to be three things: effortless, cutting edge, and powerful.

What to include in your college resume should focus on:

  • Focus on education. Emphasize your academic history. Along with the name of your school and degree, include any achievements, such as a high GPA or any academic awards. If you have taken courses related to the job you’re applying for, list those as well.
  • Include relevant jobs. Think about the skills and experiences required for the job you want. Include any internships or jobs where you developed these qualities. Even if your work experiences aren’t directly related, think of ways to highlight experiences you had that are relevant to the job you want. For example, you might include a former job as a cashier if it helped you develop customer service or leadership skills.
  • Include extracurricular activities. Because you likely have limited work experience, emphasize any non-work activities. These might include clubs, sports, babysitting, volunteer work, or community service. All of these activities can show your skills and abilities.
  • Include leadership experience. Have you held a position in a club, or been a captain on a sports team? Have you had any leadership responsibilities at your previous jobs? Be sure to list these experiences, as they show your ability to lead a team.

Tips for Writing a College Resume

  • Use action verbs. Action verbs help show your responsibility. When describing your achievements, use action words. Words like led, researched and created to portray your experiences in an energetic way. Check out a list of action words for useful examples.
  • Quantify when possible. Whenever possible, include numbers to show your achievements. For example, you might say that you worked the cash register at a store that managed $10,000 daily, or that you helped 50 – 100 customers daily at your retail job
  • Showcase the skills that qualify you for the job. Some skills are in high-demand for employers hiring college graduates, and there are other skills that specifically relate to the job for which you’re applying. Be sure to include the most relevant from each category on your resume.
  • Carefully edit and proofread. Proofread your resume carefully before submitting it. A clean, error-free resume will make you look professional. Ask a friend or family member to read the resume for you as well.

For a student applying for college you want to include every single achievement you have ever accomplished in your high school career. The colleges want to see lots of internships and jobs to show you have qualifications and skills.

When applying you want to use your GPA to your advantage, include academic awards and any high classes you may be taking, apply those as well.

Apply all these important qualifications for your college resume and it will be ready to send.